Apparatus for playing race games



Nov. 3, 1925. 1,560,277

J. C. P. MAGWOOD APPARATUS FOR PLAYING vRACE GAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 27, 1925 I C. p flac wood Nov. 3 1925- J. C. P. MAGWOOD APPARATUS FOR PLAYING RACE GAMES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 27, 1923 ZFC. P llagwoo i;

Patented Nov. 3, 1925.

UNITED STATES J'OHN CARLISLE POMEROY MAGWOOD, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR PLAYING RAGE GAMES.

Application filed August 27, 1923. Serial N 0. 659,633.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN CARLlSLE POME- nor Maswoon, student, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at 146 Adelaide Road, Hampstead, London, England, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Apparatus for Playing Race Games, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for playing a race game in which models of horses or the like or other pieces (all of which I shall hereinafter refer to as the pieces) are caused or permitted to move along a course by mechanical orother means, their progress being interrupted at suitable intervals.

Incarrying out this invention I employ a suitable board or base or platform provided with suitable slots or guideways therein or thereon, advantageously straight parallel slots lengthwise of the board and one for each piece there being any desired number of the latter, say five or six.

Individual spring actuated means are provided for impelling each piece forward along its respective slot or guideway and independent means are arranged adjacent each said slot for interrupting the forward progress of each piece at one or more points, until released inraccordance with the indications of :a suitable chance device. The said interrupting means according to a feature of this invention are such that although they present firm unyielding obstacles tothe forward progress of the pieces they nevertheless permit return of the pieces to starting position without obstruction.

One embodiment of my present invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus.

Fig. 2 a vertical longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. 4 illustrating one suitable arrangement of means for actuating the pieces" and for arresting their progress as aforesaid.

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of a spring actuated drum provided for each piece.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view.

A represents an oblong box composed of wood, metal or any suitable material the top of which is provided with longitudinally disposed slots B, one for each piece The slots B pass completely through the top of the box A.

Carriers C, which may be simply blocks of wood or, if desired, metal stampings, are provided with longitudinal ridges or feathers 0 extending upwardly into the slots B and sliding freely therein. Pins C or equivalent means are provided for mounting thereon the pieces D. The pins C may extend downwardly to the bodies of the carriers C to take the place of the ridges C if desired.

A small wheel or roller E is eccentrically mounted on a pin E in a recess on the underside of each carrier C, preferably towards the forward end thereof and arranged to roll on the upper surface of the bottom of the box for the purpose of imparting an up and down movement to that end of the carrier in imitation of the galloping of a horse when the carrier is in motion along its slot.

Adjacent one end of each slot B a hollow drum or spool F is rotatably mounted on a pin F fixed stationary in, and projecting downwardly from, the top of the box A. A coil spring F located within the drum F has one endattached in any suitable manner to the drum and the other to the pin F or the latter end may be passed through a slot in the pin F A braking device or friction disc G, threaded looselyon .pin F is pressed against the lower end of drum F by spring G the pressure of which latter is adjustable by means of collar. H.

A coiled wire orsecond springJ threaded tightly on pin F inside spring G has its inner end engaging a recess J in disc G to prevent rotation of the latter when drum F is revolved by its spring (see Fig. 3).

A cord or flexible wire K has one end thereof attached to the drum F and the other end to the carrier C, and advanta geously passes through a guiding eye K 10- cated near drum F.

A stiff wire or rod L is rotatively mounted adjacent and parallel to each slot B and carries one or more spring oatches L arranged at intervals thereon successively to engage a plate or stud C on the carrier 0 when the latter is moving in the forward direction. As illustrated, these catches or obstructions comprise short lengths of wire coiled tightly on the rods L with one end projecting and this construction has the ad vantage that it presents a firm obstruction to the carrier when moving forward yet yields to the passage of the latter returning to starting position.

The rearward ends of these rods L project through the end A of the box A and are bent around to form levers L for rotating the rods through a small angle sutiicient to withdraw catches L from the path of plate C and thus release the carrier (T which then free to move forward under t 1e influence of the spring until engaged and held back by the next catch L Springs L serve to maintain rods L in normal position i. e. with projections L in the path of plates C and to return said rods L to that position upon release of levers L Metal or other loops M screwed to the ends of the box A limit the movement of levers L.

Advantageously the number of obstructions L is different for each piece in which case obviously the odds on or against the several pieces vary in proportion.

Uprights N foldable into slots 23 represent winning posts.

In operation, the pieces D are drawn back to the starting end A where they are held in a line by the first obstructions L The several spring drums are automatically wound by thus bringing the pieces to starting position.

Any suitable chance device is then manipulated for example the arrow or pointer O freely mounted in a bearing in the hinged bracket or flap P is spun or rotated by hand and the piece indicated by number when the pointer comes to rest is released by pressing the correspondingly numbered lever L The pointer is again spun and the indicated piece released and so onuntil one or other of the pieces passes the winning post.

If desired the difference in odds on or against the several pieces may be arranged by varying the size of the sectors, corresponding to the several pieces, marked on the bracket P. The number of obstructions L may then, if desired, be the same for all pieces.

If desired the bracket P may be provided also with a sector marked Disqualified, and in the case of the pointer 0 coming to rest at such sector during the progress of a race, the winning"piece, or if desired, the piece next indicated may be disqualified.

Any other suitable chance device may be used, in place of the one shown, for example a die or dice, or cards etc.

In a modified arrangement of the propel ling means according to this invention I may employ helical springs one for each piece, one end of each said spring being attached to any suitable part, for example to the end A of the box A, the other ends of said springs being connected by cords or wires to drums or spools, to which. latter the cords K are also attached. It do sired that part of each said drum or spool. upon which the cord or wire K is adapted to be wound may be of larger diameter than the part upon which the spring connecting cord is wound, so that any movement of the free end of the spring will cause agreater movement of the piece and its carrier.

All of these said drums or spools may if desired, be rotatively mounted on a common spindle extending across the interior of the box A near the end remote from A or they may be mounted on separate spindles with either vertical or horizontal axes.

What I claim is 1. A race game apparatus in which successive movements of the game-pieces are dictated by chance, comprising a plurality of game-pieces mounted to move substan tially parallel to one another, independent actuating means for each game-piece to propel same in the forward direction, interrupting means arranged at intervals in the path of each game-piece, hand operated means for releasing each game-piece when so interrupted, and a chance device for indicating the successive releases of the game pieces. 7

2. A. race game apparatus comprising a box having its top provided with a number of longitudinal slots, a carrier for a gamepiece arranged to travel in each slot, interrupting means normally located in the path of each carrier to intercept same at one or more points in its travel in one, direction, hand-operated means for releasing each car.- rier in accordance with the. indication of a chance device, and independent means for propelling each carrier in the forward direction. V

-3. A race game apparatus comprising a box having a number of longitudinal slots v in the top thereof, a plurality of gamepieces mounted on carriers moving in said slots, means for positively intercepting the game-pieces from time to time in their forward progress until manually released in accordance with the indications of a chance device. and separate spring-actuated means for imparting forward movement to each game-piece independently of the others, the arran ement being such that each spring is put in tension or compression by the return of its respective game-piece to starting posi tion.

4. A race game apparatus comprising a boX having the top provided with a number of substantially straight parallelslots, gamepieces mounted on carriers arranged to travel in said slotsyseparate spring-actuated means connected by cords to the respective game-pieces, means for positively intercepting the several game-pieces at different numbers of points in their forward progress but oermitting their unobstructed return to starting position, means for manually releasing the game-pieces When intercepted, and a chance device for indicating the suc cessive releases of the game-pieces.

A race game apparatus comprising a box having its top provided with a number of substantially straight parallel slots, gamepieces mounted on carriers arranged to move in said slots, means to impart an undulating motion to said carriers during their for-- Ward movement, spring actuated means for impellinosaid carriers in one direction and arranged to be out in tension or compression by return of the game-pieces to starting position, intercepting devices normally arranged in the path of travel of said carriers, means for manually releasing said carriers,

and a chance device for successively indicating the game-ieces to be released.

6. A race game apparatus comprising box, a number of longitudinal slots in the top of the box, game-pieces mounted on car-- riers traveling in said slots, separate spring actuated spools, one for each game-piece, connected thereto by flexible means to advance said game-piece, rods rotatively mounted adjacent each slot and carrying spring projections lying normally in the path of the carriers for the game-pieces to intercept their forward but not their rear-- Ward movement, levers onthe ends of said rods for partially rotating same to disen gage the spring projections from the carriers, springs to return said rods to normal. position and a chance device for successively indicating the game-piece to be released.

J. C. POMEROY MAGWOOD. 

